Friends

You can add friends that are already using Elfster, even if they are not in your Gift Exchange!

1. Log into your Elfster account.

2. From your home page, click on the "Friends" button in the menu across the top. If you are using the app, the friends list may be found at the bottom of your home page, and is labeled Friends.

3. Enter the name or email address of the friend you are searching for in the text box (the text box is labeled "Search" in the app). Click the "Follow" button to the right of their profile picture.

You may also share your Wish List with anyone by clicking on the share icon from the right hand side of your list. You will be given the option to share it via Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or there will be a link to share via email. Once someone accepts your invitation to follow your Wish List, they will also be listed in your friends list.

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Who is included in my list of friends?

On the website, the "Friends" list is those people you are following. You are also given the option to see who is following you. Elfster suggests some other people you might like to follow also.

You can remove suggested friends by clicking three dots to the right of their name and then clicking "Hide."

On the iPhone app, your Friends list includes anyone that you follow. To see the people following you, tap the hamburger menu in the top left corner. Select Go To Website. You may need to log in. Then follow the directions above.

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Removing someone from my friends list.

If you want to un-follow someone on your friends list, click on "FRIENDS" at the top of any Elfster Page and then click the "FOLLOWERS" tab on your friends page. To the right of the person who is following you, you will see "Following." Click on the three dots to the right of their name, then on "Block" and "Block" again in the pop-up field to confirm.

If you are the organizer of a group and need to remove someone, you can click title of your groups from your home page, and the Member List to edit. Click the down arrow to the right of their name, then "Remove."

To remove someone from your suggested friends list, simply click the three dots to the right of "Follow" and then click "Hide."

NOTE:
Once you remove a friend from your Suggested list, we don't show them again on that list. You will need to choose to follow them to see them on your Friends list. To add them to your Friends list, enter their name in the Friend search box and then click the green Follow button.

​If you just want to view their Wish List, you can search for them by name or email address and view their Wish List if they've made it available to the groups you are in together, but you won't be able to mark an item from their Wish List as purchased unless you are following them.

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Participating in a Gift Exchange

Joining a Gift Exchange

You need to have an email invitation or a special invitation link in order to join a Gift Exchange.

Once you have your invite, click on the link that you received from the organizer (either by email or a link from Facebook or Twitter). Simply follow the instructions on the page to RSVP. If you have not established an Elfster account, you will need to create one to RSVP. Multiple accounts may use the same email address, however, each person needs to have their own unique user name and password for their account.

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Socializing and Wishing Before Names Are Drawn.

Once you have accepted the invitation to participate in a Gift Exchange, you will be able to view information about the Gift Exchange from your Elfster home page.

You can click on the Gift Exchange name, and should see a list of fellow participants, view the information about the spending limit, and how your group is going to exchange your gifts. You can add items to your own wish list, and your wishes will remain on your list until you remove them.

A sign-up deadline is set up for your Gift Exchange. Once this date has passed, you will receive an email from Elfster that includes a link allowing you to see the name you have drawn in the Gift Exchange.

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I Lost the Email That Told Me Who I Drew

All of the information about your Gift Exchange can be viewed from your Elfster account. Your organizer also has the option to resend you the link to the Gift Exchange if you need help getting back to your Gift Exchange homepage.

When you get back to your Elfster HOME page, click on the Gift Exchange name. The name of your draw will be shown on the next page in a gray box. From there, you can view the Wish List of your draw by clicking in the gray box. On that person's profile page, you will also see the options to ask them anonymous questions, or send them a message. The messages may be sent as anonymous, or not, so check off the option to send as anonymous if you do not want your name to be shown.

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I Am Not Receiving Email From Elfster

Make sure you allow email from "the-elves@elfster.com" by adding "the-elves@elfster.com" to your address book.

If you are in an office environment, let your IT team know that you are expecting and would like to receive emails from the-elves@elfster.com

You should also check your junk mail, bulk mail, or spam folders to see if the message might have ended up there. For free email accounts like Gmail, our emails may also arrive in your Social or Promotions email box.

If you still don't see the message, you can ask the organizer to resend your Gift Exchange link. They can even send it to another mailbox if you have an alternate email address.

Elfster messages will always get into Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, and AOL accounts and we continue to test with those email providers regularly. Note: For Gmail accounts, please check the Updates folder in your account.

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Finding a Gift For My Draw

To get ideas, you can view the profile for your draw by clicking on the name of your Gift Exchange, and then clicking on the gray box where you see your draw's name or the View Wish List. You will see their full profile page, which includes their Wish List(s).

If they do not have any items on their Wish List, or you want to learn more about them, you can click on the "Ask a Question" button to send them some anonymous questions. You may select from our suggested questions or create one of your own! This is a great way to have fun with your Gift Exchange.

Click on your profile photo at the top right hand corner of your home page and select "My Settings" from the drop down menu. Click on the Email Notifications tab to set your email preferences. Be sure to click on Save to keep the changes you have made.

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Sending Anonymous Questions and Messages

If you are participating in a Gift Exchange, you can click on the name of your Gift Exchange from your home page, and then select the name of the person you would like to send a question to, including the person you have drawn in the Gift Exchange, as well as any of the other Gift Exchange participants if that option is available in your Gift Exchange. Your organizer may choose to make that option available only to the person who drew your name.

Click on the name of the person, and you will see the option to Send a Message or Ask a Question on the left-hand side.

The Questions are all sent anonymously. When you send a question to someone, it will be sent to them via email. The recipient may choose to answer or dismiss the question. If they answer the question, you will receive an email notification and the answer will be posted on the Gift Exchange Activity Feed.

The Messages will allow you to select if you want them to be anonymous or show your name. By default, messages to the person you drew are marked to send anonymously, but if you uncheck the Send Anonymously box, your name will be displayed. Unfortunately, we can't retrieve messages once they are sent, so be careful if you uncheck the box. Messages can be viewed on your own account by tapping on the talk bubble at the top of your homepage. A number will indicate how many new messages you have. Messages are all private and other participants will not be able to view your messages.

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Sending Thank You Notes and Adding to Photo Gallery

When the Gift Exchange is over, all participants will be prompted by email to send a Thank You note. When the note is sent, they are able to upload a photo of their gift.

If you've received your gift and want to send a Thank You note right away, you can log into Elfster and click on your Gift Exchange. Once you're in the Gift Exchange, you'll see a box that asks if you've received your gift yet. It's located under the person's name you drew and sent a gift to. When you click on the Got It button, you'll be asked to confirm that you did receive a gift and then you'll be asked if you'd like to send a Thank You note. Indicate that you'd like to thank your sender.
​

​In the Say Thanks dialog, there will be a text box. You'll use that to type your Thank You note. Under that box is a button to upload a photo of your gift. Click Post once your selected photo has uploaded.

The photos of your Gift Exchange gifts will all be saved to the Gift Exchange Thank You's Page. All participants may view this by clicking on the Gift Exchange name from their homepage and selecting Thank You Notes on the left side of the page.

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Marking Gifts as Sent & Received

When your Gift Exchange is underway, you will have the option to mark your gift as sent once you have placed your gift in the mail, or received once your gift has been delivered to you. This can be found by clicking on the Gift Exchange name from your home page. The next page will allow you to Mark as Sent or Received. If you are marking a gift as sent, you will be asked to enter tracking or shipping information that will be sent to the recipient to let them know a gift is on the way, but they will not see your name. If you choose to not mark the gift as sent and they mark the gift as received, the Sent button will disappear and you won't be able to enter tracking information. That shouldn't be necessary if they've received the gift.If you are marking a gift as received, you may also send a thank you note to be sent as an email as well as a post on the Gift Exchange Gallery wall. This note may also include an uploaded photo of your gift.

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Didn't Receive A Gift?

When using the website, you can access the Gift Exchange page in your account by clicking on GIFT EXCHANGES at the top of any Elfster Page. You will then click on the Gift Exchange image. On the next screen, you will see the name of your draw, then in the box below that, you'll see the words asking if you've received your gift. You will also see the option to click on the words "Not yet? Send an email" to message the person sending you a gift. If you usually use the Elfster mobile app, you'll need to tap the hamburger menu in the top left and select Go To Website to follow the above directions.

You can also contact your organizer to let them know. From your Gift Exchange page, click on their name in the berry colored box. On the next screen you'll see a green Send Message button on the left side. Click that, compose your message, and click Send.

If you have a problem with an item you've purchased from someone's Wish List or an item listed on the Elfster Shop pages, please check your email for a receipt from the retailer the item was purchased from. You will need to contact the merchant directly in order to resolve any issues with the order.

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I'm Willing To Ship Internationally

If your Gift Exchange organizer has enabled the Participant International Shipping Option, you will be able to indicate whether or not you are willing to ship internationally when you RSVP to the Gift Exchange.

If you forget to check the box while you are RSVPing or wish to change your reply, you'll need to click the "Change Reply" on the left side of your Gift Exchange page. You'll get a pop-up window that allows you to change your RSVP to not participating and also allows you to change your reply indicating whether or not you are willing to ship internationally.

Checking the International Shipping box doesn't mean you will get an international pairing. Names are paired within the Participant's country first and then internationally. If there are not enough Participants in your country and you have indicated that you are willing to ship internationally, Elfster will pair you with a Participant in another country.

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Organizing a Gift Exchange

Starting a New Gift Exchange

To begin a Gift Exchange using the Elfster Secret Santa Generator, go to https://www.elfster.com/secret-santa-generator/ . If you don’t have an Elfster account, you’ll be prompted for some basic information or if you are already logged into your Elfster account, you'll be able to start creating the Gift Exchange right away. You can also click GIFT EXCHANGES and select Start New Gift Exchange.

You can follow the setup wizard in the Secret Santa Generator. You will be able to select from any existing group you may have by choosing from the drop down menu under Invite People From Last Time, or enter information to create a new group by using the Invite Others portion, where you can add your Elfster friends, use your Gmail contacts, or enter names and email addresses.

If you are using an existing group, you will have the option to add or remove group members during the setup process. To add more people to the group, simply use the Invite Others portion after selecting the existing group. You will be able to add your Elfster friends, use your Gmail contacts, or enter names and email addresses.

By default, organizers are automatically included in each Gift Exchange. If you want to just organize and not be included in the draw, check the No under “Are you participating?”
when you create the Gift Exchange. You can always change your RSVP later on the left-hand side of the Gift Exchange homepage.
When you use a group from a past Gift Exchange, the TYPE of Gift Exchange will default to the last Type you used. If this is your first time creating a Gift Exchange, it will default to Secret Santa Anytime. You can change that after the Gift Exchange is created by clicking on the Privacy + Options tab of the Gift Exchange page.

Secret Santa Anytime or Meet and Gift:
A SECRET SANTA ANYTIME Gift Exchange assures that each participant gives and receives one gift in an anonymous Gift Exchange until the participants choose to reveal themselves and allows for an odd number of participants.
A MEET AND GIFT Gift Exchange pairs partners, so that you give to the same person that gives to you. This Gift Exchange is not anonymous. It is similar to a penpal swap and requires an even number of participants. If there is an odd number of participants at the time of the draw, the organizer is automatically the one left without a partner.

Elfster hosts Meet and Gift Gift Exchanges throughout the year that allow members of the Elfster community to sign up to send gifts to each other. We offer Gift Exchanges for participants worldwide. Some Elfster Meet and Gift Gift Exchanges require previous participation in an Elfster Meet and Gift Gift Exchange in order to join. For more details, see Meet And Gift - Elfster's Public Gift Exchanges.

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Secret Santa or Meet and Gift

You may choose between two styles of Gift Exchanges. Secret Santa Anytime or Meet and Gift. This selection is made on the Privacy + Options tab of your Gift Exchange page. By default, when you are creating a new Gift Exchange with anyone other than an existing group, Secret Santa Anytime will be selected. If you use an existing group of people, the Gift Exchange will be the same type as the previous Gift Exchange.

A SECRET SANTA ANYTIME Gift Exchange assures that each participant gives and receives one gift in an anonymous Gift Exchange until the participants choose to reveal themselves and allows for an odd number of participants.

A MEET AND GIFT Gift Exchange pairs partners, so that you give to the same person that gives to you. This Gift Exchange is not anonymous. It is similar to a penpal swap and requires an even number of participants. If there is an odd number of participants at the time of the draw, the organizer is automatically the one left without a partner.

Elfster hosts Meet and Gift Gift Exchanges throughout the year that allow members of the Elfster community to sign up to send gifts to each other. We offer Gift Exchanges for participants worldwide. Some Elfster Meet and Gift Gift Exchanges require previous participation in an Elfster Meet and Gift Gift Exchange in order to join. For more details, see Meet And Gift - Elfster's Public Gift Exchanges.

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Shipping Internationally

This is an option that is best selected before Participants begin to RSVP.

If your Participants live in more than one country you can find out if they are willing to ship internationally. Once your Gift Exchange is created, select the PRIVACY + OPTIONS tab at the top of your Gift Exchange page. Scroll to the Participant International Shipping Option section. Checking the box will allow Participants to indicate that they are willing to ship internationally when they RSVP.

Participants are paired first with other Participants in their own country. If there are not enough participants in their country and they have indicated that they are willing to ship internationally, Elfster will pair them with a Participant in another country.
If your Participants want to ship internationally, rather than being paired with someone in their own country, you will need to set DRAW RESTRICTIONS so they can be paired internationally.

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Changing the Gift Exchange Dates

To change when names will be drawn or when gifts will be exchanged:

- Click on the Gift Exchange
- Scroll down past the purple box and then click on EXCHANGE SETTINGS on the left side.
- Be sure you are in the EDIT TAB at the top of the next screen.
- Scroll down to the "Exchange Date box" in the DATE section.
- Then select the new date you want to have for the Gift Exchange, remembering it must be at least one day after names will be drawn.

To change your Gift Exchange image, from your Elfster Home page, click on the Gift Exchange you wish to edit the image of. Click the camera icon in the top left corner of the current Gift Exchange image. Click Choose File to select a file from your computer. Accepted file types are .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, and .png and must be no larger than 2MB in size. Click Save.

In the iOS app, tap the exchange you'd like to change the image of. Swipe left on the screen. Tap Exchange Details. Tap Exchange Image. You will see the option to Remove Photo, Take a Photo or Choose [an] Existing [Photo]. Select the option you prefer and follow the prompts. Click Save in the upper right corner when you are done adding the new image.

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Editing Your Gift Exchange Name and Description

To change details of your Gift Exchange including the name and description, click on GIFT EXCHANGES at the top of any Elfster page, then click on your Gift Exchange.

Click on Exchange Settings under the pink rectangle. Under "Exchange Name" you can rename the Gift Exchange, and under "Exchange Description" you can fill in the rules of your Gift Exchange. The number under each box tells you how long your Gift Exchange title and description can be.

If your Gift Exchange auto-adds numbers at the end, it's because there is an identically named Gift Exchange. You can get rid of those numbers by adding punctuation marks or changing the order of your title, for instance if it says 2018 Santa Exchange, you could edit it to Santa Exchange 2018.

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Inviting People Who Do Not Have an Email Address

1. From the gift exchange homepage, click on "Invite People."

2. In the form, enter the person's first and last name and use your own email address, or the email address of a person that will act on their behalf -- that way any email messages for offline participants will be directed to a person.

3. On the gift exchange page, click on the "Participants" tab. You can select the "Accept" option to the right of their name, since you know they are planning to participate.

4. You can now communicate the exchange details to offline participants in whatever way is most convenient for them.

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Including Children in Your Gift Exchange

Invite each child separately. Enter their first and last name and use their parents' email address if they do not have their own.

Their parents will be able to RSVP for them, communicate the details of the gift exchange and monitor their activity on the site. Parents can create and manage accounts for children or others who need assistance with their account via the Family Manager

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Changing the Email Address of Someone in Your Gift Exchange

From the Elfster home page, select the correct Gift Exchange. Once in your Gift Exchange, select “PARTICIPANTS” from the banner located on the top of the Gift Exchange page.

If you invited a participant that does not have a current Elfster account, you can select the “Change User Info” button to update their email address.
If the participant you invited already has an Elfster Account, you will instead select “Send Gift Exchange Link” and enter the correct email address.

You may see a yellow banner on the Participants page indicating that you have participants with invalid email addresses. You'll want to check those flagged emails for any typos and correct those using the "Change User Info" button. If you are certain the email address is correct, you can use the "Change User Info" button to retype or copy and paste the email address and then click Save to remove the error message.

Please note, only the account owner can update or change the email address associated with their account. If they forget how to log into their account, they can email us at help@elfster.com

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Privacy Options

As the Organizer, you can determine how much information the Participants can see about each other. These options are found under the PRIVACY + OPTIONS tab of the Exchange. The options available are:

Only allow members to send anonymous questions to the person they drew in a gift exchange This option prevents members from asking anonymous questions to anyone other than the person they drew.Only allow members to view contact information of the person they drew in a gift exchange While this option may not be important in a family or close friend exchange, it may be important for an online community exchange among individuals who don't know each other in real life. Do not send birthday alerts to group membersWhile this option may not be important in a family or close friend exchange, it may be important for an online community exchange among individuals who don't know each other in real life.Do not draw names automatically after the sign up date This requires the Organizer to draw names manually once the sign up date has passed.Do not send emails about wall posts unless it is from me Limits the number of emails Participants will receive.Hide Invitee List Only the Organizer and their Assistant(s) will be able to see the Invitee List.

Selecting the box next to each Option will activate that Privacy Option. Once Privacy Options are selected for an Exchange within a Group, future Exchanges will default to those Privacy Options.

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Adding An Assistant To A Gift Exchange

Organizers can add Assistants to a group to help them moderate, including adding and removing members, starting and organizing Gift Exchanges, and editing the group settings.

To add an Assistant, first invite the person to the Gift Exchange, and have them accept the invitation. Next, from the Gift Exchange page, click on "Assistants" underneath your name as the Organizer on the left side. From there you can scroll through the list of names of people in the group; click on the person or persons you want to make an Assistant then click SAVE at the bottom right of the list.

Assistants can perform all the tasks that Organizers can, however, they cannot delete Groups or Gift Exchanges. Adding an Assistant in an Exchange will automatically make them an Assistant for the Group.

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Requiring Previous Participation

When organizing large Gift Exchanges with individuals who don't know each other, you may want to require that participants have successfully completed one or more of your group's Gift Exchanges prior to signing up for a Gift Exchange with a higher spending limit.

Once your Gift Exchange has been created, BEFORE or immediately after, you send invitations, select PRIVACY + OPTIONS from the top of your Gift Exchange page. Scroll to the bottom of the page to the REQUIRE PREVIOUS PARTICIPATION section. You can select any number 1-10 to require that number of successfully completed previous Gift Exchanges.

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I Don't Want My Participants to Draw the Same Person They Drew In The Last Exchange

When you choose an existing group to create a Gift Exchange, the "Don't allow people to draw the same person as last time." box, which is on the Draw Restrictions page, will be checked by default.
If you'd like to remove that restriction, so people can draw the same name as last time, you can do that. Simply select your exchange image, click on the Draw Restrictions button across the top of the exchange page and un-check the "Don't allow people to draw the same person as last time." box above the participants' names.
*Note* This option is only available when you use an existing group to create a new exchange.

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Someone Signed Up Twice

If you notice that you have an individual who has signed up twice, you can remove one of the accounts. If one account has a profile picture and the other doesn't, it's best to remove the account without a profile picture.

Removing someone prior to names being drawn will not affect any pairings. From the Elfster home page, select your Gift Exchange. Click on PARTICIPANTS from the top options.

Select the down arrow (V) beside the name of the Participant you would like to remove, then click on the “REMOVE” button. Finally, select “REMOVE” one final time when the pop-up appears.

If you notice the duplicate AFTER names have been drawn, DO NOT unassign them. Simply follow the directions above to remove them. Removing someone after names are drawn will affect pairings, but names will be automatically reassigned by Elfster. If only one individual is removed, the person gifting to them will now be gifting to the person the removed participant originally drew. (i.e. Jim is gifting to Mary who is gifting to Suzanne. Mary needs to be removed from the exchange, so Jim will now be gifting to Suzanne.)

Elfster will send an email to the participant(s) who were affected by the removal, but if this occurs once people are aware that names have been drawn, they may think the second email is a glitch and not go back into Elfster to see their new draw. A good follow-up for you as an Organizer, would be to message them within Elfster as well or contact them personally to make sure they know their draw has changed.

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Removing a Participant AFTER Names are drawn

Removing someone after names are drawn will affect pairings, but names will be automatically reassigned by Elfster. If only one individual is removed, the person gifting to them will now be gifting to the person the removed participant originally drew. (i.e. Jim is gifting to Mary who is gifting to Suzanne. Mary needs to be removed from the exchange, so Jim will now be gifting to Suzanne.)

From the Elfster home page, select your Gift Exchange. Click on PARTICIPANTS from the top options.
Select the down arrow (V) beside the name of the Participant you would like to remove, then click on the “REMOVE” button. Finally, select “REMOVE” one final time when the pop-up appears.

Elfster will send an email to the participant(s) who were affected by the removal, but if this occurs once people are aware that names have been drawn, they may think the second email is a glitch and not go back into Elfster to see their new draw. A good follow-up for you as an Organizer, would be to message them within Elfster as well or contact them personally to make sure they know their draw has changed.

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Preventing Participants From Drawing One Another (Draw Restrictions)

This is easy and essential for many gift exchanges! Here's how:

1. Invite everyone to the exchange.

2. Once you are on the exchange homepage, click on the button at the top of the screen that says Draw Restrictions.

3. Click on "Show Restrictions" next to the participants name and check off "exclusions" for each person. Each name that is checked off will not be drawn by that participant. Once you have made all of your restrictions, select Save Restrictions for that participant. Repeat steps for each person that needs to be restricted from drawing another person.

Once you have set up restrictions for your group, they will be in place for any future exchanges with this same group. Keep in mind, restrictions are unique to each person, so if you don't want Jane to draw John, or John to draw Jane, both will need a restriction. Only the organizer is able to see these restrictions.

By default, organizers are automatically included in each Gift Exchange. If you want to just organize and not be included in the draw, check the No under “Are you participating?”
when you create the Gift Exchange. You can always change your RSVP later on the left-hand side of the Gift Exchange homepage.
If you are participating and want to change to only organizing, you can change your RSVP in the same place.

Some of the reasons you might organize, but not participate in a Secret Santa Gift Exchange would be: • You are organizing a Secret Santa Gift Exchange among children; cousins for example.• You are organizing a Secret Santa Gift Exchange at work for a different department.• You are organizing a Secret Santa Gift Exchange for an online group.

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Removing a Participant BEFORE names are drawn

Removing someone prior to names being drawn will not affect any pairings. From the Elfster home page, select your Gift Exchange. Click on PARTICIPANTS from the top options.

Select the down arrow (V) beside the name of the Participant you would like to remove, then click on the “REMOVE” button. Finally, select “REMOVE” one final time when the pop-up appears.

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Adding Participants After Names Have Been Drawn (Latecomers)

1. Click on the name of your exchange from your homepage, click Participants List on the left-hand side of the page below the pink rectangle and then click on the text that says Add a Latecomer?

2. Enter the name and email address for as many people that you need to add to the exchange.

3. You will see a yellow banner indicating that you have latecomers for your exchange. Click "Draw Names" when you are ready to draw names. If there is more than one person, the latecomers will be assigned to each other and the rest of the assigned draws for your exchange will not change. If you have only one latecomer, you must select a name to assign the new person to, and the latecomer will receive the name that person currently has.

People may also RSVP after names are drawn. These people will be listed as latecomers, and all latecomers will be assigned a draw when you click the Draw Names button in the latecomers section of the exchange page.

When your exchange is underway, participants will have the option to mark their gifts as sent once they have placed them in the mail or received after their gift has been delivered. This can be found by clicking on the exchange name from their home page. The next page will allow them to Mark as Sent or Received. They will be asked to enter tracking or shipping information that will be sent to the recipient. When a gift is received, the recipient may mark their gift as received. They will be offered the option to send a thank you note, which may include an uploaded photo.

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Seeing Who Each Person Drew

Only the organizer can view a summary of who each person has drawn; by default, we hide all info about who drew whom. To view the draw summary, from your homepage, click on the name of your Gift Exchange and then click the "Participants" button from the top of the page. There are two options to view participant data. The basic view will allow the organizer to see each name that has been drawn, and the detailed view will provide address, shipping and assignment change options. Either view will allow the organizer to select "Show Draw" beside a single participant to check just one pairing, or "Show All Drawn Names" to see the matches for the whole group, including their own.

If someone has lost the link to the Gift Exchange and doesn't remember how to get back to Elfster, the organizer can email them a link to get back to the Gift Exchange easily.

From the Elfster home page, select your Gift Exchange. Once in your Gift Exchange, select “PARTICIPANTS” from the options at the top.
Select the Participant you would like to resend an invitation to and click on the down arrow (V) next to their name to see additional options. Select “Send Gift Exchange Link” and check to make sure their email is spelled correctly (or enter a new email address) before pressing Send and another email will be sent to them.

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Deleting a Gift Exchange

Click on the Gift Exchange you wish to delete, then select Exchange Settings on the left-hand side of the screen below the large pink rectangle. Scroll to the bottom of the edit page and click Delete under the Delete Exchange section.

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Marking A Participant As A No-Show

If a person does not send their gift, the organizer may mark them as a "No-Show". When a person has been marked as a No-Show, they will not be able to join any future Gift Exchanges with your group until they complete the Gift Exchange they were marked as a No Show in. The organizer may mark someone by clicking on the Gift Exchange name and selecting the Participants tab, then choosing a name by either typing it in and finding it in the list. In the Basic View, click on the participant's name to see additional options, then choose "Mark As No-Show." In the Detailed View, simply choose "Mark as No-Show" on the right-hand side of the desired name. If a gift is received and the recipient acknowledges receipt, the No-Show mark will be removed. The organizer may also manually remove the No-Show flag.

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Creating A New Gift Exchange With The Same Group of People As A Previous Gift Exchange

If you had so much fun with a previous group of participants and want to Gift Exchange with them again, simply select that group from the drop down menu when you create the new Gift Exchange.
Your personal list of previous groups is available under the Invite People From Last Time section of the Secret Santa Generator screen.
When you start with a group from a past Gift Exchange, you keep past draw restrictions and can invite the same participants quickly and easily. Elfster will also be able to tell who drew whom in the last Gift Exchange among those participants, which will prevent someone from drawing the same person two consecutive times if you select the "Don't allow people to draw the same person as last time." box, which will appear below the answer to the Are you also participating in the Exchange? question.

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Personalizing Your Profile

Adding or Editing Your Mailing Address

In some exchanges you may be swapping gifts with people living far away, perhaps even in a different country.

To add or edit your address, click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page. On the left hand side, click on the "edit" button next to the words Mailing Address. Click there and enter your mailing address including country.

You can also set your address by clicking on your icon at the top right of any Elfster page, then choosing My Settings. Click on the "change" button next to the words Mailing Address, and enter your mailing address including country.

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Adding a Photo to your Elfster Profile

You can add a photo to your Elfster profile that will represent you on the site. Accepted file types are .gif, .jpg, and .jpeg and must be no larger than 2MB in size.

To add a photo, click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page.

On the left hand side, hover your mouse over the generic blue or green elf photo until the words "Change Profile Image" appear, then click on them. You can use your current Facebook profile photo if you are logged into your Facebook account, or choose a photo from your computer. Once you have selected a photo, click on Save.

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Adding a Nickname to Your Profile

You can enter a screen name or nickname that will become part of your Elfster name. This is an easy way to identify you from another website such as WW Connect or Reddit.

To do this, click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page.

On the left hand side, click on the "edit" button next to the word Nickname. Click there and enter your nickname.

Once you have added a nickname, it will be shown between your first and last name when you are on Elfster.

You can also update your nickname by clicking on your icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen and selecting My Settings. Your nickname can be edited on the Profile tab.

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Customizing Your Elfster Email Notifications

We want you to get the perfect amount of emails for your Elfster needs. You can customize the emails Elfster sends you.

Email notifications fall into several groups which you can opt in or opt out of; Wish Lists and Personal Questions, Following Notifications, Group Birthdays and Discussions, My Birthday, and Elfster Newsletters.

By default, all the boxes are checked when you create an Elfster account, but unchecking the boxes related to the items listed will ensure that you receive the amount of emails you wish to.

You are not able to unsubscribe to the emails related to an active exchange you are participating in. This is in place so you don't miss important dates or notifications from your organizer.

Please note that each group you belong to has its own email notification settings. You may want to receive discussion and birthday notifications for a family group you are a member of, but not for a larger online group. When you join a new group or exchange, you may need to customize the emails Elfster sends you again.

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Adding a Website to Your Elfster Profile

You can enter the URL of your personal blog or other website to your Elfster profile.

To do this, click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page.

On the left hand side, click on the "edit" button next to the word Website. Click there and enter your blog, Twitter feed, reddit profile, favorite Pinterest board, or any other website you'd like to have listed on your Elfster profile.

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Creating and Editing Your Do Not Need List

Your Do Not Need List can help friends and family narrow down specific or broad items you don't want as gifts.

To find your list of unneeded items, click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page. On the left hand side, scroll down until you find the words "Do Not Need" then click on them. From here you can add links or text by clicking on the button "Add Something" at the top right of the page. You can also edit previously added items by clicking on the pencil beside any item you wish to edit. To remove an item completely from your Do Not Need list, click on the trash can beside it.

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Adding and Reviewing Likes

While searching for awesome wishes on Elfster, you can also LIKE an item by clicking on the heart beside an item instead of the Wish button. Likes are a private list of wishes only you can see.

To find the items you've liked, click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page. On the left hand side, scroll down until you find the word "Likes" then click on it. You can review your likes and add them to your Wish List by clicking on Wish under each item, or remove them from your Likes list by clicking on the trash can.

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Deleting Your Account

Accounts cannot be deleted while they are in an active exchange. If you no longer wish to participate, you can contact your organizer to remove you. If you are not currently participating in an active exchange and wish to delete your account, we hope that Elfster met your needs for your exchange.

If you don't think you'll be participating in an Elfster gift exchange in the future, you can delete your account.

Deleting your account will mean that you will need to create a new username and re-enter your information if you are invited to participate in or decide to organize an Elfster gift exchange in the future.

Please contact us at help@elfster.com for questions relating to deleting another person's account. Include their name, email address and the reason for the deletion.

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Family Manager

What is the Elfster Family Manager?

The Elfster Family Manager allows you to quickly and easily manage several accounts without having to log out and log in to multiple accounts. The Family Manager is great for managing accounts for children, pets, spouses, or family members who are busy or not technologically inclined. You may also find it handy for out-of-office co-workers or busy bosses!

To create a new linked account in your Family Manager, click your profile icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Click Family Manager from the drop down menu.

You are now in the Family Manager. Click the green +Add Family Member button. Enter the information in the First Name, Last Name, Elfster Username, and Elfster Password fields and then select their gender. You can select “Other / Rather not say” for that field. These are all required fields.

Click the green Create Account button. From there, you can choose to add the new linked account to existing groups you belong to, such as family groups.

The next screen will allow you the option to manage the new linked account, add another family member, or view all family members.

Your email address will be used as the email address for the new linked account. It’s important to choose a unique username, which is not your email address, for each new linked account.

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Linking an existing account

To link an existing account in your Family Manager, you will need to know the account’s username and password. If you aren’t sure what those are, but the account is linked to your email address, you can contact the helper elves to obtain it at help@elfster.com or via the Live Chat Link when the Chat Elf appears in the lower right of your screen.

Once you have the username and password of the account you’d like to link, click your profile icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Click Family Manager from the drop down menu.

You are now in the Family Manager. Click the green +Add Family Member button. Under the green Create Account button, in the grey box it says, “Want to add an existing account? Add it” Click the “Add it” text.

Enter the account’s username and password in the appropriate fields and click the green Add Account . From there, you can choose to add the new linked account to existing groups you belong to, such as family groups.

The next screen will allow you the option to manage the new linked account, add another family member, or view all family members.

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Switching between linked accounts

Switching between linked accounts is easy, but looks a little different depending on how many accounts you have linked in your Family Manager.

Switching between linked accounts when you have one or two linked accounts

When you have one or two linked accounts, the names on the accounts will be listed under your Family Manager when you click your profile icon in the top right-hand corner. Simply select the account you’d like to switch to. When you’ve completed working in that account, scroll to the top of the screen and select “Switch Back to [Your Name]”. You can then select another linked account to manage from the Family Manager.

Always return to your account in order to select a different linked account.

Switching between linked accounts when you have three or more linked accounts

When you have three or more linked accounts, a Switch Accounts selection menu will be listed under your Family Manager when you click your profile icon in the top right-hand corner. Simply click the Up/Down arrows on the selection menu and choose the account you’d like to switch to. When you’ve completed working in that account, scroll to the top of the screen and select “Switch Back to [Your Name]”. You can then select another linked account to manage from the Family Manager.

Always return to your account in order to select a different linked account.

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Managing a linked account’s Wish Lists

To manage a linked account’s Wish List, click your profile icon in the top right-hand corner. Select their name from your Family Manager list. Check to make sure it says, “You are managing the account for [the name you chose]” across the top of the screen on the right.

When you’ve completed working on the Wish List in that account, scroll to the top of the screen and select “Switch Back to [Your Name]”. You can then select another linked account to manage from the Family Manager.

Always return to your account in order to select a different linked account or manage your own Wish List

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Unlinking Accounts

If you need to unlink a linked account, click on your profile icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Click on Family Manager. Do NOT select the name yet.
On the next screen, select the Down Arrow ( V ) to the right of the account you wish to unlink. Select Remove from the drop down menu.

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Inviting a Linked Account to an exchange

Linked accounts are not automatically invited when the “parent” account is invited. You will need to include their name and the email address associated with their account in your list of invitees. If they are on your Friends list, you can invite them by clicking the “Invite Elfster Friends” link.

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Accepting an exchange invitation for a Linked Account

If you invite your own linked accounts to an exchange, the invitation will automatically be accepted.

To accept the invitation for a linked account, click the link in the invitation. The link will open a screen that will allow you to accept the invitation for every linked account with your email address that was invited to the exchange.

If your linked account has a different email address than you, you will need to select their name from your Family Manager, click the exchange they were invited to and then RSVP.

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Inviting or Adding a Linked Account to A Group

If you are creating a new group, you’ll need to invite the linked account as you would any other account. Enter the name and email address of the linked account in the appropriate fields of the invitation screen and send the invitation.

You will have the option to add a linked account to an existing group when you create a new linked account or link an existing account in Family Manager. Simply select the group(s) when prompted after creating the new linked account or linking an existing account.

If you need to add a linked account to a group or groups after you create or add the linked account, click your icon in the top right-hand corner. Select Family Manager. Click the Down Arrow ( V ) to the right of the name you need to add. The next screen will allow you to add the linked account to any or all the groups you belong to by clicking the box next to the group(s) they should be added to. If you want to add them to all the groups you are a member of, check the box to the right of ”Do you want to add [name of account] to your groups? Elfster will automatically check all the groups. Click the green Add button when you are done.

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Help Desk

I've Looked Through the FAQs And Have A Different Question

Our most frequently asked questions are answered in the Help section. If you have a question we haven't answered or you need further clarification on a question we have answered, you may contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by emailing help@elfster.com. We will respond by the next business day.

Phone support is not available at this time, but during select hours, when the Helper Elf appears in the lower right corner of the webpage, our elves will be happy to answer your questions via live chat.

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I'm Not Receiving A Response To My Questions

We do our best to answer your questions in a timely manner. Most email requests are answered by the following business day. If you haven't received a response to a ticket you created, please add help@elfster.com to your safe contacts list. You can also check your Junk, Spam, Updates or other folders for our response.

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What Is Your Customer Service Number

Phone support is not available at this time, but during select hours, when the Helper Elf appears in the lower right corner of the webpage, our elves will be happy to answer your Elfster.com questions via live chat.

You may also contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by emailing help@elfster.com. We will respond by the next business day.

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Organizing Groups

Creating a Group

Groups let you organize your friends and family outside of Gift Exchanges and allow you to quickly invite the same people any time you have a Gift Exchange. Within a group, you can follow Wish Lists, see when birthdays will be happening, share posts, and begin Gift Exchanges.

To create a Group prior to beginning a Gift Exchange, scroll to the Groups section on your homepage, then click on "+ Start A Group" green box at the bottom of the Elfster homepage. You will then be prompted to name your group, and from there you can either "Start A Gift Exchange" or just complete creating the group by clicking "Skip Exchange."

Elf Tip: Groups will be automatically created when you begin a Gift Exchange, and anyone who accepts the invitation to a Gift Exchange will be placed in the group, so if you're planning to organize a Gift Exchange, start with the Secret Santa Generator to save a step. These groups can be used over and over for as many awesome Gift Exchanges as you'd like!

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Posting Messages To A Group

Both participants as well as Organizers and Assistants can post messages to a Group. From your Elfster homepage, scroll to the Groups section at the bottom of the page, then select the group you would like to access. You may have to click on the "View All" button to see a full list of all of your Groups. To add a message to your Group page, click on the Discussion tab and write your message in the chat box that says "Share Something with the Group..." This message may be posted from you or may be posted anonymously.

By default, all conversations started this way in a group will generate an email notification to all participants in a Group. An organizer or assistant within the Group can limit emails to only messages from the organizer and assistants by clicking on "Edit" on the left-hand side of the Group page. Please see the help file Editing Group Information for more help on this topic.

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Adding a Group Profile Photo

To add a profile photo to represent your group, click on the Group name from the Groups section of your Elfster homepage. You may have to click on the "View All" button to see a full list of all of your Groups. Within the existing group image, click on the Camera icon, which will then allow you to "Change Group Image"

From here you can choose a photo from your computer to represent your group page. Photos must be the following formats:

JPG

JPEG

PNG

GIF (non-animated)

Images must be less than 2 MB in size.

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Editing Group Information

From the Group page, Organizers and Assistants can change a group's information by clicking on Edit under the group name on the left hand side of the page. From the Edit screen, you can update the Group Name, Group Type (such as a family or online community by using the drop down options in the box), include a Group Description that will be shown to people when they are invited to the group, and change Group Settings including:

Only allow members to send anonymous questions to the person they drew in a Gift Exchange

Only allow members to view contact information of the person they drew in a Gift Exchange

Do not send birthday alerts to group members

Do not draw names automatically after the sign up date

Do not send emails about wall posts unless it is from the Organizer

You can also choose a new Group Organizer from this page by selecting a current member of the Group from the drop down options, but keep in mind you will no longer be an Organizer of the Group. The Organizer will also have the option to delete the Group completely if it was made in error.
Please note: An Organizer may delete a group, but an Assistant may not.

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Adding Members To Your Group

A Group Organizer and any Assistants can add new members to the group. From the Group page, click on the "+Invite" button. From here you can add people by name and email, invite your Elfster friends, invite people on Facebook or Twitter, or post a sign-up link to an online community, in an email or using Messenger.

Once your friends and family have accepted the Group invitation, they will be visible on the "Members" tab on the Group page. Organizers and Assistants can see who has been invited, but has not yet accepted under "Pending" in the Members tab, and anyone who has been removed can be re-added by clicking on the "Add" button under "Removed" in the Members tab.

Unlike a Gift Exchange, you cannot accept on behalf of a group member -- they must accept themselves.

Elf Tip: These invitations are for people to join your Group and ARE NOT invitations for a Gift Exchange.

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Adding Assistants to a Group

Organizers can add Assistants to a group to help them moderate, including adding and removing members, starting and organizing Gift Exchanges, and editing the group settings.

To add an Assistant, first invite the person to the group, and have them accept the invitation. Next, from the Group page, click on "Manage" underneath the word Assistants on the left of the Group page. From there, you can scroll through the list of names of people in the group; click on the person or persons you want to make an Assistant then click SAVE at the bottom right of the list.

Assistants can perform all the tasks that Organizers can, however, they cannot delete Groups or Gift Exchanges.

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Creating a Group Poll

Group polls are a great way for your members to vote on a question, such as possible options for where or when gifts can be exchanged, or maybe a theme for a future Gift Exchange. To create a poll, Organizers and Assistants can click simply click on the Poll option on the Group Page, or on the Discussion tab in the Group, then type in the question you would like to pose to the group.

Once you have included your question, you can then add multiple poll answers for group participants to vote on. Participants can vote on multiple answers if they so choose, and polls do not have an end date. All group members can also leave a comment on the poll.

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Removing a Group Member

To remove a member of a Group, click on Members at the top of the Group page, then scroll down to the name of the person who needs to be removed and click on the down arrow (V) beside their name on the right-hand side to see more information.

This information will include when they joined the group, and any group Gift Exchanges they have participated in. Click on REMOVE at the bottom right of this box to remove them from the group. Please note this may not immediately occur and may take up to 24 hours for the removed person to show up in the Removed list.

Members who have been removed from a group cannot accept any Gift Exchange invitations from that group. If an Organizer or Assistant has removed someone in error from the group, you can re-add them by clicking on Removed under the Members tab and clicking the Add button beside their name.

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Leaving a Group

To remove yourself from a Group, click on the Group name at the bottom of the Elfster homepage.

At the top of the Group page, click on Members and then click on the text "My Group Settings." Here you can see when you joined Elfster, view the list of Gift Exchanges you have done within the group, and edit your Group Email Notifications. To leave the group, click on "Remove Me" at the bottom right of this box.

Once you have left a group, you must be re-added by a Group Organizer or Assistant.

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Deleting a Group

If you are the organizer and have created a group in error, or no longer need a group, click on the name of the group on the bottom of the Elfster homepage. From there, click on EDIT underneath the group name on the left-hand side of the Group page. Scroll down to the bottom of the Edit page and click on the Delete button. Confirm you want to delete the group one final time, and it will disappear.

The edit option is only visible to the group creator. Members will not see this option. If a member would like to leave a group, they can remove themselves.

WARNING: Deleting a group will delete all Gift Exchanges, past and present, associated with that group!

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Verified Groups

Verified Groups are those that have been vetted by the Elfster staff to represent a large, legitimate group. Verified Groups have a green starburst checkmark next to their name on the Group page; when you hover your mouse cursor over this green checkmark, you will see "This group has been verified."

If a Gift Exchange has been verified, users outside of that group are not permitted to create "spin-off groups" or Gift Exchanges identical in name or function to these Verified Groups. Such copycat groups or Gift Exchanges cause confusion and will be deleted without warning.

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Wish Lists

Making a Wish List

What’s the most FUN part of using Elfster?

I think it’s the WISH LISTS!
What better way to drop ‘not so subtle’ hints for that very item you’ve been pining over!?
But my favorite part is actually being able to view the Wish Lists of those on my shopping list!
Talk about a time saver!

So how do you make these ‘Little Lists of Magic’, you ask? Follow these steps!
First, click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page to go to your Wish Lists page.

By default, you have 1 premade wish list in your account. If you’d like to make another (you can have multiple wish lists with different view settings on each) here is how:

To create a NEW ADDITIONAL Wish List:
- Click on the +NEW WISH LIST button toward the top right corner of the page.

- You may name your Wish List anything you would like, type the name under "Wish List Name:"

- Next, choose who can see your Wish List by selecting your choices under the "Who can see this Wish List?" area.

Choices are:

• PUBLC: Anyone with a registered Elfster accountcan see this Wish List.

• GROUPS: Click on GROUPS to get a drop down list of any active Gift Exchanges within your group/s. You can check or uncheck groups depending on your preferences.

• INDIVIDUAL: Only the person you choose can see this Wish List. To pick this person, select INDIVIDUAL and click on the drop down list of names.
You must be Elfster FRIENDS with a person in order for their name to appear in this list.

• PRIVATE: Only you can see this Wish List. This option is great for storing wishes you may want to add to another list later, or even making 'Idea Lists' filled with gift ideas you've had for giving to others!

- You may also add a note to your list, it will be listed at the top of the Wish List once you're completed. To do this, type your note under the OPTIONAL NOTE section. This section allows you to write up to 500 characters. This is a great place for restrictions, sizes or favorites to be listed!

Be sure to click the green SAVE button at the bottom of the screen when you are done to save your changes!

You can have as many Wish Lists as you'd like if you want to be creative!
You can even create separate Wish Lists to be only able to be viewed by certain exchanges too if you'd like!

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Adding to your wish list

What's the best part about Wish Lists? Making Wishes!!!

There are a few ways to add wishes to your Wish Lists in Elfster.

BROWSE SHOP
We offer a ton of Gift Guides that are full of ideas for yourself or to use as ideas for shopping for others! To get to the shop, click on the SHOP link at the top of any Elfster page.

While browsing our SHOP you can simply click the green WISH button under any item you’d like to add to a Wish List. If you have multiple Wish Lists, a drop down of your Wish Lists will appear when you click the WISH button. If you are managing other accounts with our Family Manager tool, you’ll see and be able to add to their Wish List on the drop down menu also! The SHOP is a quick, fun and easy to get ideas and add items to any Wish List.

SEARCH SHOP
Another way to make wishes, is to use our SEARCH BAR.
You’ll find our SEARCH BAR at the top of the SHOP page (or from within a Wish List by clicking on the green ADD TO WISH LIST button). Simply type your search in the “What are you wishing for?” area of the SEARCH BAR and click the green button with a magnifying glass on it. If you find an item you’d like to add in the results, simply click on the green Wish button as described above.

LINK WISHES
Add a link from any website for a specific item or URL. First find that item online and copy the full url up in the address bar and copying that link. Then go to Elfster and click on SHOP on the top of any page in the purple bar and then on the MAGICAL OPTIONS button, next to the UNICORN on the right hand side of the search bar. You can then paste the full address (including the www at the front) into the PASTE LINK HERE box, and click the green +ADD button. The item will load and then you can edit the name, change the image of the item, and pick which Wish List you want to add it to and then click the green ADD button.

TEXT WISHESLet’s say you want to add an item to your Wish List but you don’t have a link to it, or it would be easier to just type your wish. Maybe you have some notes or something specific you want to say about the item. This is when you’ll want to use a TEXT WISH. Add a TEXT WISH by clicking on SHOP on the top of any page in the purple bar and then on the MAGICAL OPTIONS button, next to the UNICORN on the right hand side of the search bar. Type in your wish, or any ideas or hints you may want to share, in the JUST TEXT box. Be sure to click the green +ADD button when you are done. Voila! Now your text is added to your Wish List!

ELF IT!
Add the Elf It! browser button to your bookmarks bar, which will allow you to add items to your Wish List from any website with the click of a button! Click on Get the add to Wish List browser button above the search bar on the SHOP page to add the Elf It! browser button to your bookmarks bar.

ADDING A NOTE TO YOUR WISH
After adding a wish to your Wish List using any of the methods above, you can also add an OPTIONAL NOTE to individual wishes!
This is helpful in many ways, including adding size or color options to your wishes! To do this, go to your Wish List, and click on the blue EDIT link to the right of the wish you want to

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Sharing your wish list

There are a number of ways to share your Wish List!

The first step is to set your Wish List and Profile settings to allow you to share!

Remember that if you want your Wish List to be visible to people who are not in your current Gift Exchanges, you will need to change the privacy of your Wish List. Here's how:
- Once in a Wish List, click on the SETTINGS icon (it looks like a gear), and be sure to check the box marked PUBLIC under the question "Who can see it?" to ensure your Wish List is visible to those who have the link.

In addition, you must make sure that your account is public by search.
Here's how:
- Click on your profile photo icon at the top, right-hand corner of the screen.
- Click MY SETTINGS.
- Click on the PROFILE tab and scroll down to the "Searches and Anonymous Users" section and make sure the box is unchecked next to "Exclude my account from search results, and hide info from anonymous users."

Now your account is all set up and ready to share your Wish List! To do so follow these steps:
- First click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page, then choose the Wish List you want to share; if you only have one Wish List, you will go directly to it.
- Click on the SHARE icon at the top right of your Wish List (it looks like a box with an arrow).
- There you will see the options to share your Wish List on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or copy the link to send via email, text message, or add to a Facebook Group or Messenger conversation.

Please keep in mind that in order to protect your privacy, only REGISTERED Elfster users can view (even PUBLIC) Wish Lists!
Happy Sharing!

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Customize Your Wishes - Adding Color, Size & More To A Wish

You can customize your Wish List even further by adding a specific size or color to a wish!

If you have a note or details you'd like to add, you can do that too!
Wishing for 14 Christmas sweaters this year because 1 simply won't do?
Don't worry, you can update the quantity of your wishes also!

Here's How:

- Click on the Wish List that contains the wish you want to edit.

- Click the EDIT text to the right of the wish.

- On the next screen you will be able to edit the:

• Wish Title

• Quantity

• Optional Notes (perfect spot for noting size, type or color).
You can type up to 500 characters here.

• Link to the wish

• Which Wish List (try saying that 3 times fast) the item will appear on.

Be sure to click on the green SAVE button when you are all done customizing or if you've changed your mind, you can always click CANCEL at the bottom and the changes won't be saved.

In the mobile app, you can swipe left on the wish to see these options.
This let's you edit the item by tapping on the pencil icon or you can delete the wish if you'd like.

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Creating separate Wish Lists for separate Gift Exchanges

Want to be an organized Wish List maker?

It's easy to create separate Wish Lists for all your different Gift Exchanges!

You can have as many Wish Lists as you'd like!
Just think of the possibilities!

You can make a Wish List for only one person to view, or a group, or maybe it's a private Wish List for your eyes only!

To remove an item you no longer want or need from your Wish List, click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page, then choose the Wish List from which you would like to remove an item. If you only have one Wish List, you will go directly to it.

Find the item you wish to remove. If you simply need to edit the item, like changing the item name or description, click on "Edit." If you want to remove it completely from your Wish List, click on "Remove", then choose "Remove" again when the confirmation window appears.

When someone marks an item as purchased, the Wish List owner won't see any change, but others viewing the Wish List will see that the item has been purchased.

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Changing the order of items in A wish list

You can control the order in which your Wished items appear on your Wish List!

To move items just follow these steps:

- Click on the Wish List with the items you want to move.

- Click on the MOVE text to the right of the wish you want to move.

- Click FIRST to move the item to the top of the list or click and hold on DRAG to simply drag and drop each wish to get them in the order you would like them to appear!

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Removing Old Wish Lists

To remove a Wish List you no longer want or need, click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page, then click on "Remove" below the Wish List, and "Remove" again in the confirmation box. If you simply need to edit the Wish List name or who can see it, click on "Edit."

You cannot delete a Wish List if it is the only Wish List you have.

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Creating different types of wish lists

To create a new wish list, click on Wish Lists at the top of any Elfster page, then click the green New Wish List button. You may name your wishlist anything you would like, then you may select your Wish List type to customize your wish list.

A notes field has also been provided so that you can add additional information about your wish list. The notes you enter will be displayed at the top of your wish list. Once you have completed the form, click the Save button to finish creating your new wish list and you will be ready to add items to your wish list.

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Changing The Settings On Your Wish List

To change your Wish List settings, click on WISH LISTS at the top of any Elfster page. Click on "Settings" below your Wish List. You can change the type of Wish List, Who Can See It, and include or edit a note about your wishes (i.e. favorite color, clothing size, scents or styles you like, etc.) Click SAVE when you are done.

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Marking wish list items as purchased

You can mark an item as purchased on another person's wish list so that other people viewing the Wish List can see something has already been bought. Which items are marked as purchased is hidden from the owner of the Wish List, so it will not spoil the surprise!

You need to share a group with the person who owns the Wish List, or be Following their Wish List in order to see the option to mark an item as purchased. If you do not share a group, but would like to do so in order to mark an item as purchased, please note that during an active exchange, we do not share who follows a Wish List to avoid spoiling any surprises.

From the Wish List you will be buying from or have bought from, find the item you will or have purchased. Then click on "Mark as purchased." If you accidentally click on this button on the wrong item, choose UNDO on the pink "Purchased By You" field. If you do not see an option to UNDO, it means someone else has purchased the item.

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Problem with a Gift Order

Oh No! Elfster helps you organize and participate in fun exchanges and choose the perfect gift based on someone's Wish List. Elfster does not sell any merchandise.

If you've purchased a gift from someone's Wish List or an item listed on the Elfster Shop pages, please check your email for a purchase receipt from the retailer the item was purchased from. You will need to contact the merchant directly in order to resolve any issues with the order.

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New FAQ Question

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Meet and Gift - Elfster's Public Exchanges

RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ELFSTER MEET AND GIFT EXCHANGES

*By signing up to an Elfster Meet and Gift exchange, you are agreeing to send a gift based on the exchange’s theme and within the spending minimum/limit. You must be 18 or older to participate in Meet and Gift. You will send to, and receive from, the same person; these exchanges are not secret. You may only sign up once to any exchange; you may not sign up for anyone else including family members.

*You are expected to send a gift no later than the final day of the exchange (the last day of the month), or to contact the organizer and/or your partner as soon as you know that gifts will be late.

*You must retain a proof of purchase and/or post office receipt or other proof of mailing. A screenshot of an online purchase with clear shipping information is also accepted. If gifts get lost in the mail (and they do occasionally just due to the large volume our Meet and Gift exchanges send and receive), you will need this to track down where it got lost and to ensure you have evidence that something was actually sent. Unless specifically required in the exchange description, tracking numbers are not mandatory, but are recommended for larger dollar exchanges, especially for international gifts. Gift cards are not permitted in any Meet and Gift Exchange.Gifts must be packed in a way to ensure they arrive unbroken at their destination.

*Those who sign up for, but do not complete their exchange, will be marked as a No-Show, and will not be able to participate further in the group until they complete any outstanding exchanges. If neither partner communicates nor indicates a gift was sent, both will be withdrawn without penalty or compensation.

*You may not use the Meet and Gift group as a launching point to run your own private exchanges, as this type of abuse causes confusion to our group members. You're free to invite your friends and folks you have personally interacted with on Elfster, but mass invites from an established public exchange like the Meet and Gift group to a private exchange are not permitted. Users who are caught in this sort of behaviour may have their exchanges removed, friends list wiped, and/or accounts closed.

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Basic Elfster Meet and Gift Exchange Information

What Is Elfster Meet and Gift?
While we love hosting exchanges for friends, family, and online groups, we also regularly run public exchanges for anyone to join. These are administrated by the Elfster staff and are open to anyone, even if you’ve just signed up for Elfster.

How often do they happen?
Our Meet and Gift exchanges typically happen on every EVEN month – February, April, June, August, October, and December. They may also happen at other times, depending on group interest and organizer availability.

How do I know it's an official Elfster Meet and Gift?
Elfster Meet and Gift groups have a green checkmark next to their name; when you hover over this icon with your mouse, it will say "Verified." Elfster Meet and Gift exchanges are also always administrated by one or more Elfster staff members. The organizer will always be called out in some way as a staff member, such as the "Meet and Gives Elves" account with Elfster elf logo, or a specific elf such as Anna Marie "Elfster Elf" Privitere.

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How and When to Join Elfster Meet and Gift Exchanges

Is there a minimum number of Gift Exchanges I must join?
There is no requirement for the number of Gift Exchanges you may join. Some of our members may only do one or two per year, while others will participate in dozens. It's up to you which Gift Exchanges you can afford and are interested in.

How many Gift Exchanges can I join?
As many as you would like and can afford! Some Gift Exchanges may require one or more prior Meet and Gift Gift Exchange to be completed. All Meet and Gift Gift Exchanges will specify a spending minimum so you can better decide if they fit in your budget. Some Gift Exchanges may have a shortened sending period or require tracking numbers. Please read the Gift Exchange description carefully.

When can I join?
Meet and Gift Gift Exchanges will extend invitations to join around the first week of each month, and names will be drawn around the middle of the month. Gifts MUST be mailed out by the Gift Exchange Date. Check the Gift Exchange page you want to participate in for more specific information on dates.

I missed the signup deadline! Can I still join?
Meet and Gift Gift Exchanges may accept latecomers depending on the Gift Exchange, but will do so no later than 5 days after the original signup date; we will do our best to pair a person with you. If you've signed up as a latecomer and have not been paired, you can contact the organizer to inquire. If we cannot find a partner for you one week after the sign-up date, you will be withdrawn without penalty.

Will I be paired with someone in my country?
When you RSVP for a Meet and Gift Gift Exchange, you will be asked if you are willing to ship internationally. Please check the box if you ARE willing to ship internationally and do not check the box if you'd prefer to ship within your own country. If you live outside the US, you may not be paired with someone within your country simply because there may not be another person from your country or if there is an an uneven number. Some Gift Exchanges will assign members regardless of country. Consider shipping costs when choosing to sign up for a Meet and Gift Gift Exchange, as Gift Cards are not permitted. Please read the Gift Exchange description and any posts by the organizer carefully and if you're not sure, please ask!

Will I be shipping internationally?
When you sign up for a Meet and Gift Gift Exchange, you will have the option to volunteer for international shipping. If you prefer to ship within your country, DO NOT check this box. If you're willing to ship to another country (or purchase items from a website local to your partner), DO check this box.
For users outside of the US, we will try our best to pair you with someone in your country and/or region as signups permit. If you have any questions about international shipping, please contact the exchange organizer.

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What to do when Names are Drawn in Elfster Meet and Gift Exchanges

I’m in! When will names be drawn?
Meet and Gift exchanges will generally draw names around the middle of the month on a weekday. You will receive an email letting you know that you’ve been paired up – this may come to your “Promotions” tab if you’re a Gmail user, or your “Spam” box depending on how strict your email security is.

I’ve been paired up! When can I send my gift?
You can send your gift any time after names have been drawn. Gifts must be sent on or before the Gift Exchange Date; gifts must arrive before the No-Show date, approximately two weeks after the exchange ends. Please be sure to mark your gift as sent when it is in the mail, and include a tracking number if applicable. Be sure to hang onto your receipt from purchasing the item and/or the post office! Remember, gifts must be within the theme of the exchange and must be new and sealed. Please do not send something random, or something that's been sitting around your home. If you have questions about whether an item falls into the exchange's theme, please contact the organizer

I can no longer participate! What should I do?
As soon as you know you will not be able to complete an exchange, please contact the exchange organizer (you can find this on the left of any exchange, or a pinned post at the top of an exchange). From there they can assess what to do next.

How do I select a gift?
Elfster does not sell items directly. You can choose something off of your partner’s wish list, or surprise them by picking out something yourself. Gifts must be new and sealed. You are expected to purchase something specifically for this exchange.

Can I send a gift card, cash, or cheque?
For a variety of reasons, we do not permit users to send gift cards, cheques, or cash, and they are not considered appropriate gifts. Users who send these instead of an actual gift may be marked as a No-Show for not successfully completing the exchange. In short, you are signing up to send an actual gift.

My partner doesn’t have a wish list! What should I send?
Pairings in a Meet and Gift exchanges are not secret, so you can message your partner at any time to get to know them a bit better. If they do not respond, you will have to surprise them – just remember to stay within the theme of the exchange!

My partner does have a wish list but nothing on it is for the exchange or it's all over the budget of the exchange! What should I send?
Pairings in a Meet and Gift exchanges are not secret, so you can message your partner at any time to get to know them a bit better. If they do not respond, you will have to surprise them – just remember to stay within the theme of the exchange!

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Spending Minimums and Limits in Elfster Meet and Gift Exchanges

What is the spending minimum?
Spending minimums will vary depending on the exchange theme. Some will be a percentage (50%), while others may be a specific dollar value. We recommend retaining a proof of purchase for Meet and Gift exchanges. Gift cards are not permitted in any Meet and Gift exchange. Please read the exchange description to see what the minimum is.

What is the spending limit?
Spending limits will vary depending on the exchange theme. Some will cost a smaller amount, while others may ask you to make a higher dollar value commitment. Gift cards are not permitted in any Meet and Gift exchange. Please read the exchange description to see what the limit is.

Do I have to spend that much?
You will be expected to spend somewhere between the minimum and the limit. This can be on one item or added up among multiple items. Unless otherwise noted, they DO NOT include shipping. Gifts below this limit will not be considered completing the exchange, and participants may be barred from future exchanges, so please consider the spending minimum and limit before signing up to a Meet and Gift exchange. Gift cards are not permitted in any Meet and Gift exchange and will not count towards the exchange minimum.

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If You Did Not Receive a Gift From An Elfster Meet and Gift Exchange

The Gift Exchange is over and I don’t have a gift yet! Help?
Many Gift Exchange gifts are sent the last few days of a Gift Exchange and are en route when the Gift Exchange ends. Here’s 3 steps you can take to see when your gift might arrive:
1. Check if your partner has marked it as sent, and if they included a tracking number/estimated delivery date, OR
2. If you have no tracking information or delivery date estimate, click on your partner’s name and choose “SEND A MESSAGE” and let them know their gift has not arrived yet, OR
3. Click the button that says “NOT YET – SEND AN EMAIL” to contact your partner via email to ask them when your gift might be arriving.

The Gift Exchange organizer will announce the day after the Gift Exchange is completed when No-Shows will begin being flagged, usually about two weeks after the Gift Exchange date has passed. Remember, there is often a good reason why a gift has not been sent out yet, so please be patient and polite with your elf!

The Gift Exchange is over and I don’t have a gift even after waiting! Help?
Once the Gift Exchange organizer announces they will be marking No-Shows, please follow the instructions in their post, which will typically be to email them, including which Gift Exchange the gift has not been delivered from. You MUST have marked your gift as sent and may be required to show proof of purchase/mailing and may be asked for it while the Gift Exchange organizer investigates a missing gift.

The Gift Exchange is over and my partner didn’t mark their gift as received! Help?
Generally speaking, a Gift Exchange will be considered complete if your gift has been marked as sent with tracking information showing it arrived at the destination. If you have questions about whether your gift was received, please contact your partner.

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If You Did Not Send a Gift / Were Marked as a No-Show In An Elfster Meet and Gift Gift Exchange

The Gift Exchange is over and I wasn’t able to send a gift yet!
We understand that life events take priority over an Elfster Gift Exchange, particularly in the case of family emergencies. If you’re unable to complete the Gift Exchange on time due to unforeseen circumstances, please reach out to the Gift Exchange organizer and your partner to let them know something has come up. If you have an estimated time when the exchange will be completed, let them know.

I received an email saying I’ve been marked as a No-Show! Why?
Participants who do not mark gifts as sent, and/or do not respond to their Gift Exchange organizer when they follow up to their partner’s messages may be marked as a No-Show. Failing to complete a Gift Exchange correctly, such as sending an out-of-context item, used items, or items below the minimum dollar value threshold, may also result in being flagged as a No-Show. This is a way to ensure those who do not complete their Git Exchanges correctly cannot participate moving forward until their current Gift Exchanges are completed. To remove your No-Show flag, you simply need to send a gift and for it to be acknowledged as received.

I received an email saying I’ve been marked as a No-Show, but I sent a gift! What do I do?
There will be a post at the top of the Gift Exchange with the organizer’s email address – please reach out to them with your proof of purchase and/or post office receipt and/or tracking number. The organizer can follow up if additional details are needed.